Revolving fan



(No Model.)

L. A. GIBSN. REVOLVING FAN.

Patented Dec. 14,1897.

me mams PETER: oo, mmaumo., wAsNmGToN, o4 cy UNTTnn STnTns LEVI A. GIBSON, OF

HEVOLV! THORNTON, TEXAS.

NG FAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,297, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed April 30, 1897.

To @ZZ whom, H: A12m/U concer/2,:

Be it known that I, LEVI A. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thornton, in the county of Limestone and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful RevolvingFan, of which the followingis aspeciiication.

This invention relates to certain improvements in revolving fans, such as are employed especially in connection with tables and the like for fanning the persons seated thereat; and the object of the improvement is to pro vide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature which shall be strong and durable, capable of ready application to tables of different forms, and which shall be adapted for convenient use.

The invention consists of the several details of construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts of the operating mechanism for the fan, as will be fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In order that my improvements may be the better understood, I have shown in the accoinpanyin g drawings a fan constructed in accordance with my invention, in which drawings- Figure l is a perspective view showing the table provided with the improved fan. Fig. 2 is a section taken vertically through the table in a plane parallel with the swinging frame of the device, which is shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line a a in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified arrangement of the device. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view showing the bar for connecting the crossheads in the construction shown in Fig. il. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing the main and auxiliary cross-heads joined by the connecting-lever.

As shown in the drawings, l indicates the table to which the improved fan is applied, this table being of any preferred construction and being provided on its under side with transverse bars 2, extending across it parallel with each other, being secured at their ends in any preferred way to the lower edges of the depending skirt of the table.

Beneath the table l and extending longitu- Serial No. 634,637. (No model.)

dinally under the same is arranged the swing` ing frame by means of which the improved fan is actuated.

As clearly shown in the drawings, said swinging frame comprises end bars 4, pivoted at their upper ends, as indicated at 5, to the inner faces of the skirt 8 at the ends of the table-top, and a horizontal bar or cross-piece 6, connecting the lower ends of said end bars 4 and adapted to be supported slightly above the floor upon which the table rests, so as to permit the frame to be freely swung upon the pivot 5 of its end bars l.

rlhe swinging frame extends at right angles to the parallel cross-bars 2, and its crosspiece G extends beneath said cross-bars and is loosely connected with the lower end of a lever 7, pivoted, as indicated at S in Fig. 3, between the cross-bars 2, above which it extends, as shown at 0 in the drawings, in position to support the cross-head lO, secured upon it with its end portions projecting toward the opposite sides of the table, said cross-head being completely housed within the skirt of the table-top, so as to be out of the way and concealed from sight.

ll indicates the fan-shaft, which, as shown herein, extends vertically up through the opening formed in the top of the table and is provided at its upper end with a fan or projection 12, the lower end of said shaft extending down beneath the table-top and being stepped in a bearing 13 on the upper face of one of the cross-bars 2, adjacent to the pivot point S of the lever 7. In order to translate the oscillatory movement of the cross-head lO into rotative movement of the shaft 1l, I provide a gearing between said cross-head and the shaft ll, said gearing comprising a cord let or other flexible device, the ends of which are connected in any preferred Way with the ends of the cross-head, and the ccntral portion of which is passed around the fan-shaft ll, so that when the cross-head is moved the engagement of the cord with the shaft will serve to rotate the shaft, as will be readily understood.

In the operation of the device the swing ing frame extending longitudinally of the table will be operated by the feet of one of the persons seated at the table, so as to swing said frame laterally of the table and cause IOO the fan-shaft 1l to rotate, and when it is desired to employ a number of fans and fanshafts l1 this may be accomplished by the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, wherein an auxiliary cross-head 16 is used, being connected by means of a lever 17 with the upper end 9 of the lever 7 on the side thereof opposite to the shaft 11. The lever 17 is of the form seen in Fig. 5, having a pin 18 at one end adapted to be passed through an opening formed in the upper end of the lever 7 and having a central perforation 19 for the passage of a pivot-bolt 20, as shown in Fig. 4, for holding said lever pivotally on the under side of the table-top.

In some cases also it may be desirable to provide several tables with devices operating in unison, and this may be accomplished by means of a connecting-rod 21, extending between the swinging frames of the tables and adjacent to the floor, so as to be out of the way. Where this construction is employed, I prefer to make the connecting-rod 2l detachable from the swinging frames, so that when the fans are not in use the connectingrod may be uncoupled, so as to be out of the way and permit the tables to be freely moved.

From the above description it will be seen that the improved fan is of an extremely simple and inexpensive construction and is especially well adapted for the purposes for which it is designed, and it will also be obvions from the above description that the invention is capable of some modification without material departure fromits principles and spirit, and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts herein set'forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination with a table, of two swinging bars pivoted at their upper ends to the table at opposite points and extending down adjacent to the iioor, a horizontal bar connecting the swinging bars at their lower ends, a vertical lever pivoted intermediate its ends to a support attached to the table intermediate the swinging bars, the lower end of the lever being connected to the horizontal bar to move with it, a cross-head secured to the upper end of the lever, a verticalvfanshaft supported to rotate adjacent to the cross-head, and connections between the cross-head and the shaft to translate oscillatory movement of the former into rotative movement of the latter, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a table, of two swinging bars pivoted at their upper ends to the table at opposite points and extending down adjacent to the floor, a horizontal bar connecting the lower ends of the swinging bars, a vertical lever pivoted intermediate its ends to a support attached to the table intermediate the swinging bars, the lower end of the lever being connected to the horizontal bar to move with it, a cross-head secured to the upper end of the lever, a horizontal lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the table and connected at one end to the upper end of the vertical lever, a cross-head secured to the other end of the horizontal lever, vertical fanshafts supported to rotate adjacent to the respective cross heads, and connections between each cross-head and its adjacent shaft to translate oscillatory movement of the former into rotative movement of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEVI A. GIBSON.

Vitnesses:

J. W. FULLER, M. M. GIBSON, 

